Method of producing bucket-blanks.



No. 828,226. PATENTBD Auefv, 1906.

. P. A. LORENZ.

METHOD OF PRODUCING BUCKET BLANKS.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 8, 1906. I

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 828,226. PATENTBD AUG. 7, 1906.

- P. A. LORENZ.

METHOD OF PRODUCING BUCKET BLANKS.

' APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1906.

a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 828,226. PATENTED AUG. 7, 1906.

f I P. A. LORENZ. METHOD OF PRODUCING BUCKET BLANKS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1906.

3 $HEETSSHEBT 3.

5 means in adjusted position.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER A. LORENZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLI OIS;

METHdD Paoouom BUCK-ET-BLANKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Aug. 7,. 190 6.

Original application filed June 30, 1903 Serial No. 168,698. Divided and this application filedd'annsiry 8. 1906. Serial 296.086.

To (til whom it may concern:

Be it known-that I, PETER A. LORENZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvem'ent in Methods of Producing Bucket- Blanks, of which thejfollowingis a specification. 7

My invention relates 'to the manufacture of blanks from which elevator buckets or cups may be formed by subsequent operations. The object of my invention is to provide a method by which such bucket-blanks may :5 be formed from a continuous sheet of metal with the greatest possible economy-of time I and material. This application is a division of my former application, Serial No. 163,696, filed June 2 30,1903.

That my invention may be clearly understood I illustrate the same by reference 'to the accompanying drawings, by which is re resented a practical means for puttingv tie 2 5 principles thereof into effect In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of a pair of dies.

Fig. 2 is a side-elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken vertically through the two dies inthe plane 3 indicated by the line aea of Fig. 2. Fig.4 is an under side view of the upper die. is a plan view of the lower die; Fig. 6 is an enlargedfragmentary detail view showing, in section, devices for holding the guiding Fig. 7 is a view showing one of the blanks cut by means of my improved dies. Fig. Sis a view showing an end portion of a metal strip when the first or initial out of the dies has been eflected thereon for finishing one end portion of a blank; and Fig. 9 is avview showin one of the strips or pieces of metal from which blanks are to be cut by means of the improved dies, the manner in which the blanks. are to be cut from the strip being indicatedin dotted lines.

As shown in the views, 1 is the upper and 2 the lower die, the upper die having astem 3,

by means of which it may be connected with 5 a plunger (not shown) and the lower die 2 having lateral portions 4 4, by meansof' which it maybe bolted or otherwise secured toasuitable bed above which the up erdie is adapted to reciprocate in a vertica direc- 5 5 tion. 1 w

The upper die 1 is provided with a-die-suralined in the direction or Fig. 5

hereinafter more fully ex lained.

face extended beneath a and provided with of the series conform ng to an end portion of one of the blanks to be out. 69 The lower die 2 is alsd formed with an upper die-surface reciprocal with the surface of the upper die and also having two series of operative parts formed of cutting edges eonforming to an end portion of one. of the blanks to be out by means of the dies. Each die also has its twoseriesof cuttingedges ath in which material is to be fed throng between the dies, one series of'cuttingedges being in front of the other series in each die. 7

As shown in Fig. 7, the blank is of synn' metrical form and comprises a body portion 5 of general rectangular form and from which prises the edges 7, 8, and 9, corresponding to the external outline of one of the win s 6 of the blank, and the edge 10, correspon ing to 5 one side of the body portion 5 of the blank. In like manner and conforming thereto the lower die'2 carries two series of continuous cutting edges. Each series comprises the edges 7 8, and 9, corresponding to the in- 9 ternal' outline of one of the wings 6 of the blank, and the edge 10 corresponding to I one side of the body portion of; the blank, as

For cutting blanks of t is nature it is cus- 9S "tomary to employ elongated strips or ieces of sheet meta as indicated at 11in igs; 8 and 9, the strips or pieces 11 having a width equal to the width of the body portion 5 of the ,finishedblanks, which latter are succes- "I sively out from the strips. In Fig. 9 I have 1 illustrated -in dotted lines the manner in Which the piece or strip 11 is cut or divided by the dies toproduce aplurality of blanks. As indicated by these dotted lines, an end i S portion 6 0i one blank overla s the adjacent end portion 6 of another blanii, the alternate blanks being arranged with their end portions .or wings 6 6 at opposite sides of the strip 11 to errnit this overlapping arrangement.

0 permit of cutting the blanks inthis; manner from the stripsor pieces 11' of,sheet metal, the reciprocal series of cutters on each of the dies, 1 and 2 are also arranged to overlap one another, and the cutters of one series are in an order exactly opposite or reverse to the cutters .of the other series, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This arrangement of the cutters is such that the straight cutters .10 are extended parallel with each other along the front and rear sides of the u per an die, while the other cutters 7, 8, and 9' or the two series standjbetween these two straight cutters 10 10, the cutters 7 ,'8,--and 9 of .one

series being at the left-hand ends, while thoseof the other series are at the right-handends of the dies, and the same relative arrangement exists in the several series of cutters which are carried by'the lower dies.

The die-surface of the lower die 2 comprises parts 12' 12, extended above the body of the die and conforming to the end portions or "s 6 6 of the blanks, and parts 13 13 exten ed laterally from said arts 12 and conforming to the end edges of the body portion 5 of the blanks, the cutters 7 8, and 9 being formed around the edges of the parts 12 and the cutters 10' being formed upon the straight edges of the parts 13.-

The die-surface of the u' per'die 1 comprises a central part 1 4, adapte and parts 15 15, located at opposite sides of said upper die and'ada ted to engage beyond the ot'ppositesides of t e respective parts 12 12 jo the lower die-surface. The opposite edges of the central part 14 form the cutters 8 8 for formin the end portions or wings of the blanks, an the parts 15 15 have on their inner edgesthe cutters 7 and 9 for forming said end portions of the-blanks, while the cutters 10 19 are formed partly on parts 15 and partly on parts 14-. r

- The spaces upbn the lower die 2 and intertunin parts 12 and '13 thereof are adapted to be closed and covered over by a stripper-plate 4B 16 of suitable contour, which plate 16 is atranges for sliding movement toward the.

bed

ortion of the die 2, 'being guided 'oh hea e pins or screws 17,17 and backed by springs18, coiled-on said 'pihsfor screws and serving to hold the late 16 normally pressed up from theidie-bo y and flush with the diesurface of the parts 12 and 13.

When in the operation of the devices the upper-hi e approaches the lower die it willv be evident thatthe pressure of the said upper die'will e'ome to bear upo'n the stripper-plate ,f v'vhile' the sheet metal is being cut, so as to force said p1ate'16 toward the body of the laser die against the tension of the springs 18. After the pressure of the upper dieis re- I laked the springs 18 will serve to uplift the stri per-plate '16 and free the die surfaces of the "ower die fi-om the cut e l- The p er-plat'e 16 may, if desired be formed in sections instead of integrally, as herein shown-.-

I r or engagement be-. tween the parts 12 of the lower die-surface The-recesses in the upper die intervening the parts 14 and l5 and corresponding with the arts\12 and 13 of the'lower die are filled or c osed by metal plates or strippers 19 19, held on headed pins or screws20, and backed by an elastic means (herein shown as formed of cushions 2 1) of india-rubber, which are to be compressed on contact of plates 19 with the sheet metal resting on the die-surface of the lower die 2 in the operation of the devices in such a way as to permit the sheet metal to be 1 The pressures uponrthe opposite sides of the centralgpart 14 or the upper die-surface are equalized, so that liability of breakage of this part and its connections is avoided; but thestrains u on the outer arts 15 15 are exerted outward y and tend to reak these parts or to loosen their connections with the die-body.

To prevent damage incident to such outward strains, I provide on the ends of the die-body screws 24 24, on which are held collars 25,

taking against the outer surfaces of the parts 15 15 at opposite ends thereof. I

For guiding the insertion of the metal strip or piece 11 between the dies I provide atone side of the forward part of the lower die a side guide 26,- which may be formed of a piece of angle-iron held on a bracket 27 and upon one flange of which the edge of the piece or strip 11 is adapted to contact when properly inserted between the dies.

In connection with the improved diesconstructed as above described I provide an adaging 'ustable a e or g'uidin 1 means for the longi iinal movemeit of the meta piece or strip 1 1 after each succeeding cutting operation. This gaging or guiding, means corn prises slide bars or arms 28,extende d over and adjustable upon the side portions of the,

lower die 2 in the direction of their length and'of the length of the wheninserted between the 'es.

For the adjustable connection ofthe bars or arms 28 with the'di'e 2 each baror arm has a longitudinal slot 29am also. a series, of perforations 30 parallel with and at one side of said slot, and thejdie 2 has pins 31, adapted to engage in perforations 30, and set-screws '32, passed through the slots 29 and adapted to be screwed down to hold the-pins '31 engaged in the'p'erforations. When the screws 32 are loosened, the "bar-s or arms may be raised to disengage the pins 31 from perforations .30, after whlch the bars or arms may be iece or strip 11 but the opposite adjusted lengthwise to any desired position and maybe again held in such adjusted po.- sition by tightening the screws 32. v

The-length of the bars or arms 28 is such that the ends thereof extend beyond. the lower die 2, and said extended ends areupturned, as shown at 33, a tie-bar or'crosspiece 34 being extended between the upper extremities of said upturned end portions 33, the cross piece being at such an elevation above theupper face of the die'2- that the end of afstrip or piece of metal rested on said die will pass underneath the crossiece.

U on the cross-piece is secure ,a downwar ly-directed bar or arm 35, upon the lower end of which is secured a gage-block 36 in line with the die-surface of die 2 and which may have an inclined face, as shown in Fig. 5, adapted to engage by the straightbut inclined end edge of the strip of metal being operated upon. 7 a a i 37 indicates another gage held on one of the upturned 'parts 33 and adapted to be engaged by the lateral edge of the'metal strip or piece being operated upon-. The ga e 37 and block 36 are in the same plane, and the block 36 has one end closely adjacent to said gage 37 end of the block 36 is separated from the upturned art 33 of the arm 28 at the opposite side of the device by an interval or space adapted for the free passage of onelof the wings or end portions 6ofthe 1 blanks.

The arrangement of the cutters on the dies issuch that one seriesof cutters is nearer to the forward or feeding side of the dies andis in advance of the other series, which is arranged nearer to therearsideof the dies, and it wil'lfbe evident that the order in which these series ofcutters stand relative to each other is exactly the reverse of the order in which the ends'or wings produced by them .-the Wings 6 6, which project outward y'bestand in the finished blank, for the cutters 7,

8, and9, corresponding with the wings 6 of the blanks, project inwardlyin the space between the two parallel straight cutters 10 10, which cut the straight end edges of the blank and are reversely and oppositely arran ed to yond said end edges of the blank;

In the operation of the dies shown a strip or iece 11 of metal, as shownin Fig. 9, of a width equal to the width of the body portion 5 of the blanks to be cut and of any desired len th, is applied between the dies at the front or ceding side of the same with. one of itsend portions between the recipr al if- I faces of the upper and lower'dies, with o lateral-edge contacting with the side guide "26 at the-forward part of the-lower die, The

upper die 1 is then inoved downwardto cut the inserted end portion of the strip or; piece 11, whereupon an endportion or wingv 60f one-blank WIll be produced upon the extremityof tlie strip 1 1, asshown at38 in Fig.

8, this end portion bein .9 and 10 which is nearest to the forward or feeding side of the When theupper die 1 has been lifted, the end of the strip'll is removed from between the dies, and said strip is turned half-way around upon its longitudinal axis until what was before its upper surface shall have become lowermost, whereupon the cut end 38 of the strip or piece is again inserted between the dies,bein'g rested flush on the die-surface of the lower die 2, with one lateral edge engaged by the side guide. 26. or piece 11 is in' this 1 osition, it is pushed rearward between the dies in a path or direction withwhich the respective series of cutters of each die are alined untilthewing or projecting part 6 at the cut end 38 of the strip passes through the space oropening beneath cross-piece 34 and between the gage-block 36 and the upturned part of'arm 28, whereupon the straight portion 40 Qfwthe cut end 3.8 of the strip 11 will be flush on the inclined face of gage-block 36, and the other lateral edge of the strip will be en aged in the position indicate in Fig. 5.

When the strip or piece 11 has been set in this position, the upper die 1 is again allowed to descend and again cuts the strip or piece d by the dotted ines 11-, cutting off from the end thereof, by means of that series of cutters 7, 8,9,and 10 nearest the rear side of the dies, a finished blank and also'prod ucing at the same time and by means of the cutters 7, 8, 9, and 10 nearest'the forward or feedingside .of the dies the finished end portion of anotherblank, which is left projecting at the cut end of thestrip 1].. The oregoing operations are then repe ted until the entire' iece orstrip 11 has bee yeut'into finished b anks, the strip being turned. at eachsuccessive cutting operation to compensate forthe opposite or reverse arrangement of the successive blanks. Each blank has its opposite end portions produced by succeson the end of ga e37 When the strip 'IIO sive cuts of the dies, and the gaging or guiding devices are adapted for operation in-con- 'nectlon with the dies at each successive actuation thereof. A

I have described my invention as practiced by-the application of a s ecifie instrumentality adapted to meet t e contin enmeans, and those s lled in the art will be asoccasion therefor may arise, and to practice them by other and appropriate'means.

j I claim 1. *Th methodblnks of the character described, which con cies of practical manufacture; but the efiable to apply these principles invarious ways, L

of producin a series of sistsin cutting'aw'ay an intermediateportion v of a strip of metal by dies whichhave two seblank which are opposite to the similar parts -by the length of the to-be-i'ormed blank, and

financing it to the length of .the blank to be ries of operative parts, the parts of one series being arranged .to form those parts of one of the next blank formed by the other series, reversing the strip and advancing the strip again cutting away an intermediate portion of metal by the operation of said dies.

2. Th method of producing a series of blanks o the character described, which consists'in cutting a strip ofmetal between the members of one of two series of symmetrically-formed dies, the several parts of which overlap each other, and which are adapted to separate each blank of the series from the adjacent blank, reversing the strip, advancing the strip to the length of the-to-be-formed blank, and then cutting the strip of metal b y the two series of dies to separate a completed blank and to make the initial cut on the next blank.

3. The method of producing a series of blanks of the character described, which consists in cutting a metal strip between two dies each having'two cutting-surfaces of the same form but inverted relatively to each other so as to forma straight edge and an extendedwing, then turning the strip over, ad-

next cut, and then again cutting the strip between the said dies to .complete the blank and tofornia straight side and extended wing on the next blank.- 1

4. The method of producing a series of blanks of the character described, which consists in cutting a metal. strip between two dies each having two cutting-surfaces of the same form but inverted relatively to each other so as to form a straight edge and an extended wing, then turning the stri over, advancing'itto the length of the b ank to be next cut, a1 1 then again cutting the strip between the said diesto complete the blank and sever it from the strip and to form a straight side and extended Wing on the next blank.

5. The method of forming bucketblanks, which consists in severing a strip of metal simultaneously on two conformable but inverted transverse lines, each line corresponding to the one end of a blank having a straight portion and a wing, then turning over the strip and again severing itat a point removed from the first pointof section on the same lines as before.

6. The method of forming bucket-blanks, which consists in severing a strip, of metal simultaneously on two conformable but in verted transverse lines, each line corresponding to one end of a blank having a straight portion and a wing, then turning over the strip again severing it at a point removed from the first point of section on the same lines as before, and again turning the strip thereby restoring it to -th'e first position and again severing the strip as before.

In witnesswhereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 4th day ofJanuary, A. D. 1906, in

the presence of two subscribing witnesses. PETER ALLORENZ. Witnesses:

- C. K. CHAMBERLAIN;

' A. S. PHILLIPS. 

